דברים י״א:י״ג-כ״א

והיה אם שמע. וְהָיָה מוּסָב עַל הָאָמוּר לְמַעְלָה, לִמְטַר הַשָּׁמַיִם תִּשְׁתֶּה מָּיִם:

Should you heed [lit., “It shall be . . .”]. “It shall be” relates to the statement above, ”by the rain of the skies you will drink water.”

והיה אם שמע תשמעו. אִם שָׁמֹעַ בַּיָּשָׁן תִּשְׁמְעוּ בֶּחָדָשׁ, וְכֵן "אִם שָׁכֹחַ תִּשְׁכַּח" (דברים ח') – אִם הִתְחַלְתָּ לִשְׁכֹּחַ סוֹפְךָ שֶׁתִּשְׁכַּח כֻּלָּהּ, שֶׁכֵּן כְּתִיב בִּמְגִלָּה אִם תַּעַזְבֵנִי יוֹם יוֹמַיִם אֶעֶזְבֶךָּ:

Should you thoroughly heed. If you heed the old, then you shall heed the new. Similarly, “It shall be, if forgetting you forget.” If you begin forgetting, you shall eventually forget everything. This is as it is written in the scroll, ‘If you forsake me for a day, I shall forsake you for two.’

מצוה אתכם היום. שֶׁיִּהְיוּ עֲלֵיכֶם חֲדָשִׁים, כְּאִלּוּ שְׁמַעְתֶּם בּוֹ בַיּוֹם (ספרי):

Commanding you today. They must be as fresh to you, as if you heard them this very day.

לאהבה את ה'. שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר הֲרֵי אֲנִי לוֹמֵד בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאֶהְיֶה עָשִׁיר, בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאֶקָּרֵא רַב, בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאֲקַבֵּל שָׂכָר, אֶלָּא כָּל מַה שֶּׁתַּעֲשֶׂה עֲשֵׂה מֵאַהֲבָה וְסוֹף הַכָּבוֹד לָבֹא (שם):

To love Adonoy. You must not say, ‘I shall study so that I may become wealthy, or so that I may be entitled “Rabbi,” or so that I may be rewarded.’ Rather, all that you fulfill, fulfill with love, and the glory will eventually follow.

ולעבדו בכל לבבכם. עֲבוֹדָה שֶׁהִיא בַּלֵּב, וְזוֹ הִיא תְפִלָּה, שֶׁהַתְּפִלָּה קְרוּיָה עֲבוֹדָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אֱלָהָךְ דִּי אַנְתְּ פָּלַח לֵהּ בִּתְדִירָא" (דניאל ו'), וְכִי יֵשׁ פֻּלְחָן בְּבָבֶל? אֶלָּא עַל שֶׁהָיָה מִתְפַּלֵּל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם) "וְכַוִּין פְּתִיחָן לֵהּ וְגוֹ'"; וְכֵן בְּדָוִד הוּא אוֹמֵר (תהילים קמ"א) "תִּכּוֹן תְּפִלָּתִי קְטֹרֶת לְפָנֶיךָ":

And to serve Him with all your hearts. With the service of the heart — this refers to prayer, as prayer is entitled “service,” as it is said, “Your God whom you constantly serve.” Was there service in Bavel? Rather, because he prayed, as it is said, “Windows were open for him, etc.” Similarly, with Dovid it is said, “May my prayer be established like incense before You.”

בכל לבבכם ובכל נפשכם. וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר הִזְהִיר "בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ" (דברים ו'), אֶלָּא אַזְהָרָה לַיָּחִיד, אַזְהָרָה לַצִּבּוּר (ספרי):

With all your hearts and with all your souls. But has not Scripture already commanded, “With all your heart and with all your soul”? Evidently, one command is addressed to the individual, and the other command is addressed to the community.

ונתתי מטר ארצכם. עֲשִׂיתֶם מַה שֶּׁעֲלֵיכֶם אַף אֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה מַה שֶּׁעָלַי (שם):

I will provide the rain of your land. You fulfilled your obligation — I, too, shall fulfill my obligation.

בעתו. בַּלֵּילוֹת שֶׁלֹּא יַטְרִיחוּ אֶתְכֶם; דָּ"אַ – בְּעִתּוֹ בְּלֵילֵי שַׁבָּתוֹת שֶׁהַכֹּל מְצוּיִין בְּבָתֵּיהֶם:

In its time. During the night, so that it does not trouble you. Another interpretation of “in its time.” On Shabbos eve, when everyone is at home.

יורה. הִיא רְבִיעָה הַנּוֹפֶלֶת לְאַחַר הַזְּרִיעָה, שֶׁמַּרְוָה אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְאֶת הַזְּרָעִים:

Fall rain. This refers to the rain which falls after seeding, saturating the earth and the seeds.

מלקוש. רְבִיעָה הַיּוֹרֶדֶת סָמוּךְ לַקָּצִיר, לְמַלֹּאת הַתְּבוּאָה בְּקַשֶּׁיהָ. וּלְשׁוֹן מַלְקוֹשׁ דָּבָר הַמְאֻחָר כְּדִמְתַרְגְּמִינָן (בראשית ל') "וְהָיָה הָעֲטֻפִים לְלָבָן" – לַקִּישַׁיָּא; דָּ"אַ – לְכָךְ נִקְרֵאת מַלְקוֹשׁ, שֶׁיּוֹרֶדֶת עַל הַמְּלִילוֹת וְעַל הַקַּשִּׁין:

Spring rain. This refers to the rain which falls just prior to the harvest, filling the stalks with grain. The word מַלְקוֹשׁ denotes something which arrives late, as Targum renders “the late ones,” לַקִּישָׁא Another interpretation. It is called מַלְקוֹשׁ because it descends on the ears and on the stalks.

ואספת דגנך. אַתָּה תַאַסְפֶנּוּ אֶל הַבַּיִת וְלֹא אוֹיְבֶיךָ, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אִם אֶתֵּן דְּגָנֵךְ וְגוֹ' כִּי מְאַסְפָיו יֹאכְלֻהוּ" (ישעיהו ס"ב) וְלֹא כָעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְהָיָה אִם זָרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ'" (שופטים ו'):

You will harvest your grain. You will gather it into your home, not your enemies, as it is said, “...if I give your grain, etc., for he who gathers it shall consume it,” but not as it is said, “It shall come to pass that if Yisroel plants, etc.”

ונתתי עשב בשדך. שֶׁלֹּא תִצְטָרֵךְ לְהוֹלִיכָהּ לַמִּדְבָּרוֹת. דָּ"אַ — שֶׁתִּהְיֶה גּוֹזֵז תְּבוּאָתְךָ כָּל יְמוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים וּמַשְׁלִיךְ לִפְנֵי בְהֶמְתְּךָ וְאַתָּה מוֹנֵעַ יָדְךָ מִמֶּנָּה שְׁלוֹשִׁים יוֹם קֹדֶם לַקָּצִיר וְאֵינָהּ פּוֹחֶתֶת מִדְּגָנָהּ (ספרי):

And I will provide grass in your field. So that it will not be necessary for you to lead it to the desert. Another interpretation. You will reap your produce throughout the entire rainy season, and throw it before your animals. Then you will discontinue reaping for thirty days prior to the harvest, and there will be no shortfall of grain.

ואכלת ושבעת. הֲרֵי זוֹ בְרָכָה אַחֶרֶת שֶׁתְּהֵא בְרָכָה מְצוּיָה בַּפַּת בְּתוֹךְ הַמֵּעַיִם ואכלת ושבעת:

And you will eat and be full. This a different blessing — the blessing will visit the bread with your abdomen, so that you will eat and be full.

השמרו לכם. כֵּיוָן שֶׁתִּהְיוּ אוֹכְלִים וּשְׂבֵעִים הִשָּׁמְרוּ לָכֶם שֶׁלֹּא תִבְעֲטוּ, שֶׁאֵין אָדָם מוֹרֵד בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ שְׂבִיעָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "פֶּן תֹּאכַל וְשָׂבָעְתָּ וּבְקָרְךָ וְצֹאנְךָ יִרְבְּיֻן" (דברים ח'), מַה הוּא אוֹמֵר אַחֲרָיו? "וְרָם לְבָבֶךָ וְשָׁכַחְתָּ":

Look out for yourselves. Since you will eat and be full, look out for yourselves, so that you are not insubordinate, for a man does not rebel against the Holy One, may He be blessed, except when satiated, as it is said, “Lest you eat and become full, and your cattle and flocks multiply.” What is said afterward? “You shall become arrogant and forget.”

וסרתם. לִפְרֹשׁ מִן הַתּוֹרָה, וּמִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ ועבדתם אלהים אחרים, שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁאָדָם פּוֹרֵשׁ מִן הַתּוֹרָה הוֹלֵךְ וּמִדַּבֵּק בַּעֲ"זָ, וְכֵן דָּוִד אוֹמֵר "כִּי גֵרְשׁוּנִי הַיּוֹם מֵהִסְתַּפֵּחַ בְּנַחֲלַת ה' לֵאמֹר לֵךְ עֲבֹד וְגוֹ'" (שמואל א כ"ו), וּמִי אָמַר לוֹ כֵן? אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן שֶׁאֲנִי מְגֹרָשׁ מִלַּעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה, הֲרֵינִי קָרוֹב לַעֲבֹד אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים:

And you turn away. By abandoning the Torah, and because of this, “you serve alien gods.” For once a man abandons the Torah, he proceeds to adhere to idolatry. Similarly, Dovid said, “For they have driven me away, this day, from adherence to Adonoy’s heritage, saying, ‘Go, worship, etc.”’ Now who said this to him? But, rather, since I have been driven away from engaging in the study of Torah, I am thereby brought close to worshipping alien gods.

אלהים אחרים. שֶׁהֵם אֲחֵרִים לְעוֹבְדֵיהֶם – צוֹעֵק אֵלָיו וְאֵינוֹ עוֹנֵהוּ, נִמְצָא עָשׂוּי לוֹ כְּנָכְרִי (ספרי):

Alien gods. They are alien to those who worship them — he cries out to him, but he does not respond. Thus, he has become alienated from him.

את יבולה. אַף מַה שֶּׁאַתָּה מוֹבִיל לָהּ, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (חגי א') זְרַעְתֶּם הַרְבֵּה וְהָבֵא מְעָט (ספרי):

Its produce. Even what you bring to it, as it is said, “You have planted much, but gathered little.”

ואבדתם מהרה. עַל כָּל שְׁאָר הַיִּסּוּרִין אַגְלֶה אֶתְכֶן מִן הָאֲדָמָה שֶׁגָּרְמָה לָכֶם לַחֲטֹא; מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁשָּׁלַח בְּנוֹ לְבֵית הַמִּשְׁתֶּה וְהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב וּמַפְקִידוֹ אַל תֹּאכַל יוֹתֵר מִצָּרְכְּךָ, שֶׁתָּבֹא נָקִי לְבֵיתְךָ, וְלֹא הִשְׁגִּיחַ הַבֵּן הַהוּא, אָכַל וְשָׁתָה יוֹתֵר מִצָּרְכּוֹ, וְהֵקִיא וְטִנֵּף אֶת כָּל בְּנֵי הַמְּסִבָּה, נְטָלוּהוּ בְיָדָיו וּבְרַגְלָיו וּזְרָקוּהוּ אֲחוֹרֵי פַּלְטְרִין (שם):

And you will swiftly be removed. In addition to all the other suffering, I will exile you from the land which caused you to sin. This is compared to a king who sent his son off to a feast, but sat and admonished him, ‘Do not overindulge in eating, so that you may return home in cleanliness.’ The son payed no attention, overindulged in eating and drinking, vomited, and filthied everyone attending the feast. He grasped his hand and foot, and flung him behind the palace.

מהרה. אֵינִי נוֹתֵן לָכֶם אַרְכָּא, וְאִם תֹּאמְרוּ וַהֲלֹא נִתְּנָה אַרְכָּא לְדוֹר הַמַּבּוּל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְהָיוּ יָמָיו מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה (בראשית ו') דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל לֹא הָיָה לָהֶם מִמִּי לִלְמֹד וְאַתֶּם יֵשׁ לָכֶם מִמִּי לִלְמֹד (ספרי):

Swiftly. I will not allow you any extension. But you may ask, was not an extension granted to the generation of the flood, as it is said, “His days shall be a hundred and twenty years”? The generation of the flood had no one from whom to learn. You, however, have someone from whom to learn.

ושמתם את דברי. אַף לְאַחַר שֶׁתִּגְלוּ הֱיוּ מְצֻיָּנִים בַּמִּצְווֹת, הַנִּיחוּ תְּפִלִּין, עֲשׂוּ מְזוּזוֹת, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ לָכֶם חֲדָשִׁים כְּשֶׁתַּחְזְרוּ, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (ירמיהו ל"א) הַצִּיבִי לָךְ צִיֻּנִים (ספרי):

You are to place these words of Mine. Even after you are exiled, you must distinguish yourselves by performing mitzvos. Set the tefilin in place, and affix the mezuzos, so that they do not seem novel when you return. Similarly, it is said, “Establish marks of distinction for yourself.”

לדבר בם. מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁהַבֵּן יוֹדֵעַ לְדַבֵּר, לַמְּדֵהוּ "תּוֹרָה צִוָּה לָנוּ מֹשֶׁה" שֶׁיְּהֵא זֶה לִמּוּד דִּבּוּרוֹ; מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ כְּשֶׁהַתִּינוֹק מַתְחִיל לְדַבֵּר אָבִיו מֵשִׂיחַ עִמּוֹ בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ וּמְלַמְּדוֹ תוֹרָה, וְאִם לֹא עָשָׂה כֵן הֲרֵי הוּא כְאִלּוּ קוֹבְרוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ולמדתם אתם את בניכם לדבר בם וגו'.

To speak in them. From the time that the son is able to speak, teach him “Torah, Moshe commanded us,” so that this develops his speech. From here it is said that, when an infant begins speaking, his father should converse with him in the sacred language, and teach him Torah. If he failed to do this, it is as if he had buried him, for it is said, “Teach them to your sons to speak in them, etc.”

למען ירבו ימיכם וימי בניכם. אִם עֲשִׂיתֶם כֵּן יִרְבּוּ, וְאִם לָאו לֹא יִרְבּוּ, שֶׁדִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה נִדְרָשִׁין מִכְּלַל לָאו הֵן וּמִכְּלַל הֵן לָאו (ספרי):

In order that they will be many — your years and the years of your children. If you do this, they will be many, but if not, they will not be many, for the Torah’s statements may be expounded so that the negative infers the positive, and the positive infers the negative.

לתת להם. לָתֵת לָכֶם אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא לָתֵת לָהֶם, מִכָּאן מָצִינוּ לְמֵדִים תְּחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים מִן הַתּוֹרָה:

To give them. “To give you” is not written here, but “to give them.” Thus, we discover the derivation of the revival of the dead from the Torah.